Replace these Affiliate Programs at ANYTIME! Your banner here within the next hour. Learn How!

Global Mega Trends continue to impact mobility, and the effectiveness in how people and goods move around. The world is experiencing rapid urbanisation, changes in the production and use of energy, changing social preferences, and rapidly advancing technology. All of these aspects play a key role in the mobility service the consumer of today expects.

Yet there is one underlying trend that is leading to the convergence of products, technologies and indeed whole industries: Connectivity. With a forecast of 80 billion connected devices by 2020, or 500 devices per square km by 2020, the Internet of things is set to continue to impact every sector; and it will certainly affect mobility.

Frost & Sullivan's upcoming annual industry event, entitled 'Urban Mobility 3.0: OEMs New Mobility Offerings and New Business Models Linking Web 2.0' aims at providing a platform for representatives and thought leaders of all industries to assess the impact of connectivity on the future of mobility. The two-day event, taking place in London on 13th and 14th June 2012, focuses on four targeted panels to facilitate a visionary thought-exchange on global mega trends, the future of mobility, new mobility business models, governments' visions for an inter / multi modal transportation, as well as mobility infrastructure trends.

"By 2014 every new car will be ‘connected', either via an embedded or a tethered platform, making the car the third most connected ‘device' behind mobile phones and tablet computers globally,” stresses Frost & Sullivan Mobility Programme Manager, Mr. Martyn Briggs. "The impact this will have on the industry could be colossal, facilitating innovative services delivered to drivers in real time, and equally providing manufacturers with ongoing revenue streams such as automotive app stores, continuing well past the point of sale."

However, it is not only the connectivity inside the vehicle that will drive such a paradigm shift in the industry. The rise and rise of smartphones in itself has provided numerous opportunities for mobility products and services to flourish.

"An example for such a business model is car sharing," Mr. Briggs explains. "The use of location based services to pinpoint nearest vehicles accurately, applications to reserve and unlock vehicles, and even ways to pay for the service via a smartphone, is facilitating rapid growth in the industry."

Similarly, this gives rise to a more integrated and multi modal transportation network, with smartphone users able to access real time information, scheduling and payment information on the go and at the touch of a button, breaking down some of the key barriers to using other modes of transport, and well aligned to most governments' vision for a sustainable transport network.

"In addition to vehicles and devices, complementing infrastructure is set to become a lot smarter in the future, ranging from small step changes in the short term, such as connectivity in signalling and urban traffic management & control, to more radical changes in the longer term, such as fully automated vehicles," Mr. Briggs continues.

"Connectivity in infrastructure will leverage a range of next generation Intelligent Transport Systems, allowing efficient traffic flows, and a rise in opportunities to deploy billing and enforcement (through usage based insurance, taxation, or congestion charging for example), and even to distribute power to and from a smart grid, in the case of electric vehicles," he concludes.

If you are interested in more information on Frost & Sullivan's event 'Urban Mobility 3.0: OEMs New Mobility Offerings and New Business Models Linking Web 2.0', please email Katja Feick, Corporate Communications, at katja.feick[.]frost.com. Please also visit the event website for more background information: gil-global.com/urbanmobility

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan (frost.com), the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

PRZOOM / PRTODAY - Newswire Today disclaims any content contained in this article. If you need/wish to contact the company who published the current release, you will need to contact them - NOT us. Issuers of articles are solely responsible for the accuracy of their content. Our complete disclaimer appears here.IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Issuance, publication or distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions could be subject to restrictions. The recipient of this press release is responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations in the particular jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer or an offering to acquire or subscribe for any Frost & Sullivan securities in any jurisdiction including any other companies listed or named in this release.